Exclusive: Reince Priebus plans for ‘renewal’

Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus on Friday will lay out his plan for a “Republican renewal,” telling members of the party that the GOP must abandon the concept of battleground states and look to compete in “every state and every region” in the country, POLITICO’s Playbook has learned.

“We must compete in every state and every region, building relationships with communities we haven’t before,” Priebus will say, POLITICO’s Mike Allen reports exclusively. “We must develop the best technology with the help of the best minds—and train activists, volunteers, and candidates with the modern tools of a modern party. … We can stand by our timeless principles—and articulate them in ways that are modern…relevant to our time and relatable to the majority of voters.”

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POLITICO reports from RNC meeting

Through those approaches, Priebus will say to Republican attendees at a winter meeting of the RNC in Charlotte, N.C., the GOP can begin the process of “renewal.”

“And that, I believe, is how we’ll achieve a Republican renewal,” Preibus will say. “That’s how we’ll grow. That’s how we’ll win. … The good news is our principles are sound. We stand for opportunity and for liberty. Freedom is always a new idea—an ever-fresh, revolutionary idea. … We can unite Americans around our values if we prove we can take them to a better place. So we must take our message to all voters and to every state.”

He will call on his party to abandon the concepts of “blue state” and “battleground states” and to instead get ready to play everywhere.

“It’s time to stop looking at elections through the lens of ‘battleground states,’” he plans to say. “We have four years till the next presidential election, and being a ‘blue state’ is not a permanent diagnosis. … Simple ‘outreach’ a few months before an election will not suffice. In fact, let’s stop talking about ‘reaching out’—and start working on welcoming in.”

Priebus will outline a number of steps the GOP should take to expand the base and get competitive in a broader swath of states. Among his suggestions: train “candidates, volunteers and operatives” on basic subjects like fundraising and campaign strategy — but through a variety of high-tech methods, including Skype sessions and Google hangouts; give the “next generation of organizers access to the brightest experts,” take the initiative on leading in the “digital space” and focus on being “welcoming” and “inclusive” without forgetting GOP “principles.”

“It means renewing those principles because only they can offer the solutions to the liberal induced problems of our time…” Priebus is slated to say. He will add, “And to those who have left the party, we want to earn your trust again. To those who have yet to join us, we welcome you — with open doors and open arms.”